Markaz to provide education to sister of Kathua rape victim

KOZHIKODE: Markazu Ssaqafathi Ssunniyya, the Sunni cultural centre run by Sheikh Aboobacker Ahmed, will take care of the education of the sister of the girl, who was raped and murdered in Kathua in Jammu and Kashmir in January.

The elder sister of the eight-year-old girl will be given admission in any one of the 21 educational institutions run by the Yes India Foundation, which is functioning under the patronage of the Markaz.

“The members of the legal aid cell of the Markaz Law College visited Jammu after the tragic incident. We held discussions with the members of the Bakarwalcommunity, educational experts and the members of the legal fraternity,” said Samad Pulikkad, vice-principal of the law college.

“The children belonging to Bakarwal community go to government-run schools which function six months a year. They move from one place to another depending on the climatic conditions suitable for the goats,” he said.

Samad said that the rape victim’s sister has passed Class VII in one such school. “She will be given special training to make her on a par with other students. Her parents can choose from any of the 21 schools run by the Yes India Foundation. She can continue up to higher secondary-level and after that she can come to Markaz for higher studies or select any institution of her choice in India,” he said.

“We have realised that the Bakarwal community is unaware of their legal rights. We have decided to hold legal awareness classes for the members of the community, which will begin in full swing after Ramzan. The classes will be conducted with the help of the legal service society of Jammu. District principal sessions judge Syed Sarfraz Hussein Shah has also promised help,” Samad said.

The Markaz team, after interacting with the community, has concluded that lack of a job is the prime reason behind the youth joining the fold of extremists. “They are paid to pelt stones at the police or to burn tyres on the road,” Samad said.

Sheikh Aboobacker Ahmed has asked Shoukth Naeemi, the director of the Yes India Foundation, to identify two youths from Jammu and Kashmir who will be given the scholarship to pursue the legal education at the Markaz Law College in Kozhikode.